The Eagle Feather, Vol. 14, No. 1, 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.12794/tef.2017.365

Hashtags and Hail to the Redskins: My Summer in Ashburn, Virginia

Madison Kemrite1*

Abstract During the summer of 2017, Madison Kemrite was a social media intern with the Washington Redskins Football team. The following logs are an account of Madison’s job working with the Digital Media Department of the Washington Redskins, prior to the ’s 2017 season. Keywords Internship — Washington Redskins — Digital Media — National Football League

1Department of Finance, College of Business, University of North Texas *Faculty Mentor: Dr. Eric Gruver, The Honors College

Contents made it an overwhelming day. I was very impressed with my boss (the team’s Digital Media and Content Supervisor) from 1 Daily Log 1 the moment I met him. He always offers feedback and readily 1.1 May ...... 1 answered all my questions. I can already tell that this is going Thursday, May 18 • Friday, May 19 • Saturday, May 20 • Wednesday, to be a very conducive environment for learning. May 23 1.1.2 Friday, May 19 1.2 June ...... 2 Even though today was only my second day, my boss and I Friday, June 2 • Monday, June 5 • Tuesday, June 6 • Friday, June 9 • Saturday, June 10 • Monday, June 12 • Tuesday, June 13 • hit the ground running. Instead of working from the office, Tuesday, June 20 • Wednesday, June 21 • Monday and Tuesday, we went to an elementary school in Maryland. This was my June 26 and 27 first time trying to navigate the roads of the DMV area, and 1.3 July ...... 5 although I made it to the school alive, I can already tell that Tuesday, July 11 • Monday, July 17 • Tuesday, July 25 • Thursday, driving here is a lot different than the Texas interstates that July 27 I have taken for granted my whole life. My boss and I were 2 Conclusion: August 6 at the school to help publicize the Redskins Read Program August 1 • August 3 which is put on by the organization’s Charitable Foundation. Author Biography 6 The kids had won a reading competition that was against other elementary schools in the area. This victory warranted a surprise visit from several of the Redskins players. Seeing the 1. Daily Log reaction on the kid’s faces when the players walked into the packed cafeteria was PRICELESS. After informing the kids 1.1 May that they had won the competition, the players delivered a 1.1.1 Thursday, May 18 bunch of brand new books that the Charitable Foundation had Today was the first day of my internship and as much as I hate brought for the school. The players also held a to admit it, I was really nervous. I think I underestimated how dance competition with the kids, did some relay races, and nerve wracking it would be to go to an area where I knew no then divided up into groups, broke out the new books, and one, drive to the offices of an NFL team, and introduce myself read to the kids. It was so much fun to see these elementary to supervisors and colleagues that I had never met. Since I school-aged kids huddled up around these big football players tend to be independent and gravitate to new situations, I was as they read to them. Not a bad way to spend my second day not expecting to be as nervous as I was. The gravity of the of work. situation really hit me when I walked through the front door and saw the Redskins’ three Lombardi trophies sitting in a 1.1.3 Saturday, May 20 display case. I spent most of my first day doing paperwork Although I won’t work every Saturday, today the Redskins with Human Resources and completing computer safety train- Salute program participated in Playfield in the Park at West ing. Even though there was not a lot of actual work that I had Potomac Park in Washington D.C. Redskins Salute is the to do, meeting a lot of new people and trying to learn a lot of official military appreciation club of the Washington Redskins new computer software programs that I wasn’t familiar with and the first of its kind in the NFL. For Playfield in the Park, Hashtags and Hail to the Redskins: My Summer in Ashburn, Virginia — 2/9

Figure 1. May 19th Figure 3. May 20th

Redskins Salute teams up with Yellow Ribbons United and watching live. For someone such as myself who has grown several other organizations to help host a play day for kids and up watching and loving the sport, it was also a truly amazing their families who have lost a loved one overseas. Some of the experience to personally attend an NFL practice for the first players, and even former players, came out and played in the time. Hopefully there will be many more to come. (Pictured: park and had a picnic with the families. There was free food me very out of focus on the left side of the photo “next to” and ice cream, and lots of booths with games set up across the QB Kirk Cousins via Redskins.com). park. 1.2 June 1.2.1 Friday, June 2 I covered my first solo event today at the Redskins Play 60 Play Day. Since the play day was hosted at Redskins Park, my boss sent me over to Snapchat the event myself. Let’s just say, it’s a little different posting Snapchat stories when you know several thousand people are going to see it as opposed to the handful of views I get on my own personal account. Much like the Redskins Read Program, it was a lot of fun to watch the players interact with the kids. Since it was a Play 60 event, the kids went through different football-themed stations that were set up around the field and learned how to have fun and be fit. (Picture via Redskins.com)

1.2.2 Monday, June 5 Figure 2. May 20th A part that I love about my job, is that my department works with almost all other departments in the organization, which Since no photographer from the team could make it to the means I get to meet and interact with a lot of different people event, I was responsible for taking pictures, some of which who work throughout the Washington Redskins. The social were published on Redskins.com. After the event, I stayed media department interacts regularly with the Digital, Market- in the city, explored, and went to a few museums. Although ing, and Public Relations Departments as well the Redskins I made a few mistakes, I think I finally have the D.C. metro Salute and Women of Washington fan clubs. This is really system down and will be using it again in the future to cut beneficial for me because it helps me see how the organization down on the stress of driving in the city. (Pictured: two of the runs as a whole and how the different departments all work pictures that I took and that were published on Redskins.com) together.

1.1.4 Wednesday, May 23 1.2.3 Tuesday, June 6 This was the first media day of Organized Team Activities This week was fun because our office started to really come (OTAs) for the Redskins. This means that along with my daily together. As the social media intern, I work in the Newsroom responsibilities, I had the opportunity to go to practice, as with three other interns as well as four full-time staff members. well as Kirk Cousins’ and head coach Jay Gruden’s weekly Since there are eight of us who all work in the same room, press conferences. After having seen so many pressers such half of which are new interns, the Newsroom has been a little as these on TV, it was fun to be the one sitting in the seats quiet due to people not really knowing each other. This week Hashtags and Hail to the Redskins: My Summer in Ashburn, Virginia — 3/9

Figure 5. June 2nd

1.2.5 Saturday, June 10 If I told you that I spent the day at a polo match with Bob Mar- ley’s son Rohan and grandson Nico, would you believe me? Well, as crazy as that sounds, that’s exactly what happened today! Allow me to explain. After graduating from Tulane, Bob Marley’s grandson, Nico, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Redskins. The Redskins content team thought that a charity polo match, attended by both Nico and his dad Rohan, would be a nice Father’s Day piece for Redskins.com. Although I am not a journalist, my boss asked if I wanted to go just for the experience. I of course said yes, and accompanied Figure 4. May 23rd one of our staff writers and his intern to the polo match. It was one of the coolest experiences I have had so far—even though I may have had to re-watch the polo scene in Pretty though, I am finding that the Newsroom is far from a quiet Woman to know what to wear. environment, and I love it. Everyone has their own dash of The Marleys were such a gracious and welcoming family, personality that they bring to the table, and I feel like we are with the perfect dash of that “Marley” flare that you would starting to jell well as a group. expect from the family of the reggae legend. I got to sit in on the hour-long interview with the Marley’s of family stories, sage wisdom, laughs, and an explanation of the “lion order 1.2.4 Friday, June 9 mentality” which is the zeal that the Marley’s are famous Today was probably my favorite thing that I have gotten to do for bringing to everything from the recording studio to the since I arrived in Virginia (which is saying a lot). My boss football field. Even though I was just there to observe, I didn’t let me tag along on a tour of Washington D.C. with all 19 let my social media skills go to waste. I took the picture of our rookie players. We started the day by going to a food that Nico posted on his Instagram account and Rohan left me bank in D.C. and packing bags of healthy food for kids who with his phone for a little while, instructing me to caption the can’t afford school lunches. After, we loaded up on a double photo that he posted. In the midst of all this “work,” I also decker bus and drove around to all the major monuments in gained some valuable networking experience. Needless to say, D.C. Not only was it cool to be on a bus tour of our Nation’s a college student’s budget rarely affords for opportunities to capital, but I got to do so surrounded by professional athletes. attend polo matches with successful business men and women. Afterwards, I rode the metro to the ballpark and met some I talked to a few people and even reached out to one women of the other Redskins interns for the Washington Nationals’ the next day via LinkedIn, and she told me to keep in touch baseball game where we watched the Texas Rangers beat the and she would keep me in mind for future internships. All in Nationals (the other interns were less thrilled for the Ranger’s all, today was not a bad way to spend a Saturday. victory than I was). I was wearing a UNT shirt at the ballpark and was stopped by a woman who graduated from UNT about 1.2.6 Monday, June 12 10 years ago. She was so excited to see a fellow member of Today I was lucky enough to be able to carry the excitement the UNT family and I’m glad she stopped me to chat for a few from the weekend into Monday. Instead of working in the minutes–it’s always nice to see that the Mean Green family office today, my boss and I went to the practice facility for the extends across the country. Redskins’ player photo shoot. Throughout the day, about 30 Hashtags and Hail to the Redskins: My Summer in Ashburn, Virginia — 4/9

Figure 6. June 9th Figure 7. June 10th of the team’s top players, like Kirk Cousins, , that if this happened, I was to conduct the interview myself. and , came and took photos that will be used for So, without time to get nervous, I performed my first NFL things such as graphics and tickets throughout the season. Al- interview with the Washington Redskins’ Inside Linebackers though there wasn’t much I could do besides run the Snapchat coach. I really enjoyed it, and my boss even snapped a picture a few times and observe, it was still an amazing experience of the moment. (Pictured: me “photobombing” on the far left hand side of the 1.2.8 Tuesday, June 20 photo via Redskins.com). This year is the Redskins’ 85th anniversary. In celebration, the team is running an 85th anniversary Hall of Fans competition. 1.2.7 Tuesday, June 13 For this competition, fans can submit pictures of themselves This morning I got to attend the press conference where the and describe why they deserve to be in the Redskins Hall of team announced that they would be promoting Doug Williams Fans by posting on various social media outlets using #AllHail to VP of Player Personnel. Although I have sat in on press or submitting through the Redskins website. One of my duties conferences before, this was special because the Redskins’ this summer is sorting through these submissions. Before they President Bruce Allen was there along with the other Red- are displayed on the website, I go through the submissions skins executives. Today also marked the beginning of mini- and take out the ones that are inappropriate or simply off topic. camp—one of the best parts of this being that I can wear shorts This was probably one of the more entertaining daily tasks I and a t-shirt instead of business casual (silly I know, but a had. It was a lot fun to scroll through and see the stories of business wardrobe has been difficult to adjust to for someone fans who are not only spread across the country, but across who can typically be found in workout clothes). Minicamp the world. It helps someone like myself, who didn’t grow up is also one of the only two days a year that the coaches are watching the Redskins, get a feel for the history and passion required to speak to the media—defensive coaches today and behind the organization. offensive coaches tomorrow. The Redskins’ Senior Writer asked if I could help during these interviews and record them 1.2.9 Wednesday, June 21 so we could transcribe them and extract quotes for future ar- Today after work, I played in the annual employee flag foot- ticles. However, no one came over immediately to interview ball game. We went to the indoor practice facility, divided the coach I was assigned to record. My boss had instructed me into teams and were given jerseys. I represented my UNT Hashtags and Hail to the Redskins: My Summer in Ashburn, Virginia — 5/9

Figure 9. June 12th

and request rights to the photos that fit the criteria. After the owner grants the team rights to use it, I crop them and caption them to be set to post daily. (Pictured: fan photo I captioned via Washington Redskins Facebook).

1.3 July 1.3.1 Tuesday, July 11 Throughout the summer, the writing interns and the staff writ- ers have been putting together the annual Redskins yearbook that will be sold at training camp and today was the big day of editing. It was ‘all hands-on deck’ in the Newsroom to get the entire 172 page yearbook edited. It took me around 6 or 7 hours to read through and edit it, and then I had to stay and finish my other responsibilities. Although it may have been a long and tedious task, I’m glad I got to be a part of it and I even get my name listed in the yearbook as one of the editors.

1.3.2 Monday, July 17 Today was memorable for several reasons. First, it was the franchise tag deadline for the Redskins’ Kirk Figure 8. June 10th Cousins. By today, the quarterback and team could come to a new contract agreement or the quarterback would play the 2017 season on the franchise tag. It was announced today that intramural team well catching the first pass of the game, as Cousins would play on the franchise tag. Although this really well as scoring in the 2nd half. Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug didn’t change my daily responsibilities, it was a great learning Williams, who works in the team’s front office, was at the experience to see the Newsroom in action as they quickly game watching. I think it’s neat that someone so high-up in adapted to the news. Today was also memorable because it the organization stayed after work just to watch an employee was my 21st birthday. I celebrated in style by taking my car flag football game. (Pictured: my flag football team a.k.a., the to the shop and then single handedly eating a whole pint of winning team). ice cream. Cheers to adult life I suppose.

1.2.10 Monday and Tuesday, June 26 and 27 1.3.3 Tuesday, July 25 One of my responsibilities is finding and preparing fan pho- Today is my last day in the office and then it’s off to training tos that are posted on Facebook daily. Each morning, the camp for a week before heading back to Texas. We only Redskins will post a photo of a fan, or group of fans, who worked a half day since everyone is heading to Richmond, are ‘repping’ the Redskins in their daily lives. Finding and VA for training camp. Although my internship is technically captioning these fan photos was one of my responsibilities over and my boss’s new intern is coming to training camp, during my internship. The main way that I find these photos I decided to attend camp for a few days and experience the is by searching hashtags on Instagram. I go to a database excitement for myself. After work, I went to D.C. to say my and search either #HTTR or #Redskins. Next, I go through “goodbyes” with a good friend I made this summer (she was Hashtags and Hail to the Redskins: My Summer in Ashburn, Virginia — 6/9

Figure 11. June 21st

lot of fun writing the article and getting my first byline.

2.0.2 August 3 My final day as an intern for the Washington Redskins. Wow, what an amazing experience it has been! I honestly don’t want to leave. Everyone who I have worked with has become like family to me and have really gone out of their way to make “the Texas kid” feel welcome and this internship unforgettable. I can’t believe how different I feel now than when I first got to Virginia. The nerves have faded into confidence and the apprehension has turned into true connections with a lot of fantastic people. It is hard to put into words everything I have seen, done, and learned in such a short time. I have made so Figure 10. June 20th many new friends, new connections, and have experienced so many new things (I may or may not already be planning my return visit). I am excited to bring back everything I have even kind enough to pose in front of the Texas portion of the learned to UNT, and I am so excited to see where my career WWII Memorial with me). I have learned so much through takes me next! this experience, but I am beyond excited for training camp to start. Author Biography 1.3.4 Thursday, July 27 Madison Kemrite is from Conroe, Texas. She is studying Today is the day. My first day at training camp. I am not even Finance with a minor in Spanish, and is going to graduate sure it’s necessary to say, but I love it! Two press conferences in May 2019. She plans to work in the business or player a day, two hours of football practice a day, and tons of ded- personnel side of professional football. icated fans cheering on the Redskins. Instead of my normal responsibilities, I am spending camp just helping wherever I can and helping train my boss’s new intern. The day flew by so quickly and I am really glad that I decided to come.

2. Conclusion: August

2.0.1 August 1 My internship may be coming to a close, but my experiences sure aren’t. Today, my boss asked me to interview the Red- skins punter Tress Way about the board game he created and just released on Kickstarter. I interviewed him for about 6 minutes, which in hindsight might have been a bit long, but he was very gracious and answered all my questions. After interviewing him, I was then informed that I was going to write the story about the new board game myself. Although I wouldn’t consider myself a journalist by any means, I had a Hashtags and Hail to the Redskins: My Summer in Ashburn, Virginia — 7/9

Figure 13. July 25th

Figure 12. June 26th Hashtags and Hail to the Redskins: My Summer in Ashburn, Virginia — 8/9

Figure 14. July 27th Hashtags and Hail to the Redskins: My Summer in Ashburn, Virginia — 9/9

Figure 15. August 1st